3 Sensational Nights in Venice: The Best First-Time Visitor Itinerary

Venice is a unique island destination and a perfect European city break. In my 3-day Venice itinerary, you will learn what I got up to, including visiting the most popular tourist sights, taking a day trip to Burano and Murano, and getting around Venice by water transport.

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Useful Information About Venice

How to book a Venice airport to hotel transfer

After researching the quickest and most economical way of travelling from the airport to our hotel, I booked a shared water taxi transfer.  This was the best option compared to other Venice Water Transport methods.

After arriving, we walked out of the terminal, waited around 20 minutes at the Venicelink desk, and were escorted to the boat docks.

We boarded a sleek wooden water taxi with eight other people, which wouldn't have looked out of place in a James Bond film.

It was thrilling to speed through the waters of Venice en route to our hotel, and within about 30 minutes, we dropped off the other passengers and arrived at our stop, Zattere, where we had a short 5-minute walk to our hotel.

If you are on a budget or not a fan of travelling to your hotel by water, you can book an airport coach transfer as an alternative to a water taxi.

Where to Stay in Venice

From impressive five-star hotels like Venice's famous Gritti Palace, offering visitors unrivalled views of the Grand Canal, to family-run B and B's tucked away in deserted streets far from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist spots in Venice, you can be sure there will be a hotel that is perfect for you.

I researched long and hard for a hotel that combines a historic building, a quiet location, and fabulous traveller reviews. The Nani Mocenigo Palace in Dorsoduro ticked all my requirements, and I am happy to report it was a wonderful experience staying in such an authentic Venetian property.

Please find the availability and pricing of all Dorsoduro hotels in Venice on Booking.com.

My Complete Venice Three-Night Itinerary

Day One in Venice - How to Spend Your First Afternoon

Once we had familiarised ourselves with our beautiful hotel and enjoyed a complimentary glass of Prosecco, we plotted St Mark's Square into our route finder and were off to explore.

Simply walking a few steps along the canal outside our hotel made me feel like this was the Venice I had dreamed of for so long.

The Apple Maps app worked perfectly for our entire 3-day stay, but if you have a different app, be prepared to use a paper map to find your way around or enjoy getting lost!

Crossing Academia Bridge

Navigating our way along the tiny streets, we soon came to the Academia Bridge, which stretches imposingly across the Grand Canal and connects Dorsoduro to San Marco, the location of St Mark's Square.

Academia Bridge was my favourite place to view the Grand Canal and take great photographs.

There are only three other bridges that cross the Grand Canal.

Ponte della Costituzione connects the train station area with Piazzale Roma. The Rialto Bridge connects San Marco to San Polo and Ponte degli Scalzi connects Santa Croce to Cannaregio.

Interesting facts about Venice's islands and bridges

Venice has six districts: Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, Castello, San Marco, San Polo and Cannaregio, with 118 islands and 438 connecting bridges.

Without even realising it, you are crossing from one island to another as you wander through the calles (streets).

The waterways are all referred to as canals. Still, there are only a few "real" canals: the Grand Canal, the Cannaregio Canal, the Giudecca Canal and some smaller waterways outside the city.

The correct title for the other channels that weave through the town is Rios (rivers).

St Mark's Square

Around 30 minutes later, we arrived at St. Mark's, the only square in Venice and home to St. Mark's Basilica. Originally built as the chapel of the Doge, the magistrate and most senior elected figure, it was converted into a cathedral in 1807 following Napoleon's victory.

St Mark's Square is also home to the Doge's Palace, which was the seat of the Doges until 1797, and where we would return the following evening for an "after-hours" tour of both landmarks. The bell tower looms proudly over the square, offering a bird's-eye view of the area from the top.

Restaurants, shops and bars line the square, but be careful to check prices before ordering, as they are extortionate due to the location.

We were shocked to learn that one of the restaurants was charging €20 for a beer, so we opted to buy refreshments away from the square, saving around €10 and bringing them back to enjoy while perched on the steps surrounding St Mark's Square.

Day One in Venice - How to Spend Your Evening

Visiting San Marco, the historic heart of Venice

As the evening went on, we noticed the square filling with flood water and learned that when there is a full moon, the gravity pulling on the high tides causes this, as it is the lowest point in the city.

Watching people navigate the water to move around the square was funny, but let's face it, this is the city of water! Watch out, though, as it does get slippery, and I nearly ended up on the floor.

After a stop for pizza and gelato, we started the walk back to our hotel, taking in the unique charm of this Unesco-listed city.

You would be forgiven for imagining you were walking through a film set, as nothing has been altered, and modernity hasn't yet taken hold. And I think this must be one of the best European cities I have visited.

It would be hard to compare somewhere to Venice with its captivating allure, and after just one evening, it had won a place in my heart.

Day Two in Venice - How to Spend Your Morning

Join a walking tour of Venice.

After breakfast, we donned comfortable footwear and headed out for a free walking tour of the city. I'm a great advocate of these tours and have done several worldwide.

Your guide is usually an academic; therefore, he/she is very knowledgeable and can always give great insider recommendations for restaurants and bars!

Venice free walking tours were no exception, and we gathered in the sweltering heat of a July morning to start the tour called Venice through the Centuries (north route). The tour focuses on the streets away from the main tourist areas, and my group consisted of around 20 other travellers.

Tips to remember: Comfortable footwear, water (free fountains to refill your bottles can be found on route), wear a hat, sunscreen and don't forget a camera because, around every corner, there is a photo opportunity.

Venice Uncovered

The tour included stories of famous Venetians, including the explorer Marco Polo, the lover Casanova, and the composer Vivaldi.

We learnt interesting facts such as there are 70,000 tourists in Venice each day, which outnumbers the locals, and that in the 16th century, Venice was the world's number one centre for printing.

The Italian words seen on the walls were explained to us, such as Campo (fields), Calle (streets) and Rio (rivers). The street names were chosen based on the wealthy patrons who lived in each one.

For example, if George Clooney had lived here, the street would have been named Calle Clooney!

Stories like this make the tour fun and informative, and we enjoyed seeing the quieter side of Venice.

Everyday life in Venice

The next stop was Venice's Hospital SS Giovanni e Paolo, which also includes the Scuola Grande San Marco and its beautiful gold ceiling (a small fee applies to view).

As a person always concerned about health and safety while travelling, this was an interesting place for me to visit!

I hadn't considered how a person would get to the hospital or where it would be in this watery wonderland. Still, we were standing in front of probably the most beautiful and ornate city hospital I had ever seen.

My next question was, how did patients arrive at the hospital? My answer was just around the corner; that's right, they get here by water ambulance.

Certainly not something I would have expected to encounter on a walking tour in this romantic city, but it was interesting to get an insight into everyday life here.

The history of Venetian masks

Another subject our guide touched upon was the use of masks in Venice. The annual carnival sees thousands of people coming together to recreate a time in Venice when locals wore masks.

The reasons ranged from wanting to conduct an illicit affair without anyone being able to identify you to a businessman who didn't want his dealings to become common knowledge. By wearing a mask, no one knew who you were or what you were doing!

Plague masks

I found the plague masks most fascinating. These had long, almost animal-like noses stuffed with herbs to keep the stench of decaying plague victims at bay.

The plague doctor would wander the streets of Venice to find corpses, which he would then bury.

Occasionally, the victim hadn't entirely passed away, so the plague doctor would make a small cut with the knife he carried on a long stick to check for this.

If the body bled, the person was still alive, but if no blood appeared, the person had passed away and could be buried.

Recreations of all the masks used throughout Venice's history can be bought from artisan shops. Some are very simple, whereas others are incredibly decorative.

We finished our walk in two hours, and with both of us red-faced from the summer sun and in need of a reward for our efforts, we headed to the gelato shop and sat in the shade, just people-watching.

The beauty of Venice is that even though the area of San Marco is extremely busy with tourists, the outer districts tend to be a lot quieter, so it is worth walking away from the main square to find your solace within the city.

Day Two in Venice - How to Spend Your Afternoon

Eat like a Venetian

At some point in the day, you will need to eat something other than gelato (though I could probably survive on it), and what better way to have a quick snack than to visit one of the city's many Cicchetti bars?

These bars sell small slices of bread with different toppings, priced at around €3.50 each; a glass of wine can accompany them for about €4.

You can eat standing at the bar, or take your goodies outside, sit on a wall and act like a local.

You might expect the wine not to be very good at this price, but I was pleasantly surprised.

There are so many different foods to eat in Venice; however, visiting a Cicchetti bar is unique to Venice, and I recommend you try one while you are here. Remember not to call it tapas, as the Venetians won't thank you for it.

Seeing the famous Rialto Bridge

As the sun started to set and our designated time slot ended, we made our way back down to the Rialto Bridge.

The bridge spans the Grand Canal and is the oldest still in use in Venice. It replaced a wooden bridge that stood here but collapsed in 1524 under the weight of the people using it.

The current stone bridge, completed in 1591, is 92 feet across, lined with shops under its arch and connects the island of San Marco to San Polo.

The view of the Grand Canal from the bridge is picture-perfect, so make sure you are camera-ready!

Day Two in Venice - How to Spend Your Evening

After-dark tour of St. Mark's and the Doge's Palace

This evening, we joined an after-hours tour of the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica.

Day visits to Venice's two most popular locations can be overwhelming due to long queues and the number of tourists who file in and out, so this was the perfect answer.

Our tour was highly informative and led by a local Venetian.

It started at 7 pm in the Doge's Palace and finished around 10.30 pm in the Basilica.

The highlight for me was entering the Basilica in total darkness and watching the lights come on one by one to illuminate the golden mosaics and art on display.

Beware of restaurant closing times

You should ensure you eat dinner before going on the tour, as most restaurants will close by the time you finish.

We found out the hard way that, unlike other European cities, there weren't any options to dine late at night.

A small restaurant agreed to serve us on the premise that we could eat and be out within 20 minutes! Agreeing to this time frame, we bolted down a home-baked lasagne and returned to our hotel.

While in Venice, you will be spoilt for choice with the vast selection of available restaurants. You might like to learn about some of them before you arrive; remember, there is more to Venice than pizza and gelato!

Day Three in Venice - How to Spend Your Morning

A day trip to the Venetian Lagoon Islands

A day trip from Venice will take you to the islands in the Venetian Lagoon and should be featured on your itinerary.

Murano is known for glass-blowing, Burano for its colourful houses and lace-making, and Torcello for the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, with its Venetian-Byzantine mosaics.

The island of Murano

We arrived in Murano, Venice, by water transport and learnt about the process of producing the world's finest glassware.

A tour of a glass factory is fascinating; however, the showroom tour afterwards went on for too long. As travellers, we weren't interested in purchasing a chandelier or anything similar, so we made our retreat.

We headed to Murano's main street, where bars, restaurants and glass shops lined its sidewalk. The Murano glass jewellery is beautiful, so as I was on an anniversary trip, my husband kindly bought me a necklace to remind me of our romantic break.

After lunch in a canal-side restaurant, we made our way to the lighthouse, where we caught the number 12 ferry to the island of Burano.

The island of Burano

Arriving in Burano fills you with joy. Brightly painted houses are a complete contrast to Venice.

The main street is full of restaurants and artisan shops, but the best part was leaving the main area and wandering along the side streets, which were tranquil and almost deserted.

For more information, please read my blog on what to do and see in Burano.

The island of Mazzorbo

The last island we visited in the Venetian Lagoon was Mazzorbo, reached via a wooden bridge from Burano.

It is home to a boutique winery and the historic 11th-century Church of San Michele Arcangelo with its 14th-century bell tower. Climb to the top for outstanding views of the lagoon.

Day Three in Venice - How to Spend Your Evening

Exploring Dorsoduro

Our last evening was spent exploring the streets around our hotel.

Dorsoduro is Venice's university district, with casual eateries and artisan shops alongside cultural attractions, including the Peggy Guggenheim Modern Art Museum and the Gallerie dell’Accademia, which houses classic Venetian masterpieces.

Dorsoduro has a bohemian vibe, is quieter than its touristy neighbour, San Marco, and is a neighbourhood worth seeing.

My Honest Opinion of Venice

Venice is worth visiting, especially after the 29-year wait!

It far exceeded my expectations, and I did pretty well eating my body weight in gelato without a glimmer of guilt. Venice was a perfect trip taken with the ideal person.

What month did I travel?

July

How was the weather?

It was hot and humid.

Would I recommend the hotel?

Yes. Hotel Nani Mochenigo Palace is an opulent boutique hotel in a former 15th-century Doge's palace.

It is located in the quieter area of Dorsoduro, but only a 5-minute walk to the Zattere water stop and 20 minutes to St Mark's Square. The room was comfortable, with a sound air conditioning system, and the hotel offered a basic continental breakfast.

Would I recommend three nights in Venice?

Yes, in a heartbeat, although I would have liked one more night in this city so I could have taken a slower pace. I loved the architecture, the canals, the pizza, gelato and the ease of walking everywhere.

The flight is under 2 hours from the UK and is one of the great places to visit in Europe for a weekend getaway.

Of course, if you are exploring Europe by land, you can also visit Venice by train or bus from bordering cities such as Zagreb in Croatia or Bari in Italy.